Written in Heaven - Final

“Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential vital quality for those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change.”–Robert F. Kennedy

“Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” What does Jesus mean by that? The concept or image of people’s names being written in heaven, written in a book of life—this is not unique to this passage in Luke. It’s all over the Bible. Let’s look at a few examples.

In Exodus 32, Moses intercedes for the people of Israel, asking the Lord to forgive their sin, and then adding, “But if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” In Psalm 69, the psalmist talks about the righteous being enrolled in “the book of the living.” In Daniel 12, there is the prophecy that God’s people would be delivered, that is, “everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.” Then in the New Testament, in Philippians 4, Paul mentions the names of several individuals who have worked with him in the cause of the gospel—Euodia, Syntyche, Clement—“whose names,” Paul adds, “are in the book of life.”

Finally, when we come to Revelation, we see this “book of life” and “names written in heaven” business all over the place. In Revelation 3, Jesus’ promise to the Christian who overcomes is that “I will never blot his name out of the book of life.”… In chapter 20, at the final judgment, anyone whose name is “not found written in the book of life” is thrown into the lake of fire. To be sure, it will be a fearful thing if your name is not written in that book. But for those whose names are found written in that book, the outcome will be quite different, and much better. In Revelation 21, we read about the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city, and those who will be able to enter there are “those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

“The Lamb’s book of life.” “Names written in heaven.” This is where our great joy is to be found. In Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” This is not something that you did. This is something God did. He did this for you, by his grace, as a gift. Your names are written in heaven, dear friends, written there with the blood of Christ. This is how you get in that book. Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God, the Lamb who was slain, was slain as the sacrifice for your sin. His blood cleanses you from all your sin.

So this is what Christ is on the way to doing, as he heads to Jerusalem on his Lenten journey. His name, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews”—his name would be written on a plaque nailed to a cross, so that your name would be written in heaven, in the Lamb’s book of life.—Charles Henrickson
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Always do what the Spirit leads you to do at the time -- you may never have another chance.

We're in a battle, and when there's a sudden opportunity to take advantage of a breakthrough, an open door in a certain direction where God is leading, we have to seize the opportunity quickly, even if it means some serious sacrifices on our part. -- If God says "Go!" and it's His Will, you'd better go, no matter what, and He'll take care of you! Don't look at the waves! Keep your eyes on Jesus! -- When God says "Now! Right now!" you'd better obey Him in that split second of that golden opportunity! -- And if you miss God's timetable, you'll get left behind and things will never be the same again! God bless you with His best and highest!








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